FCC Rules, descriptions, and definitions for the Amateur Radio Service, operator and station license responsibilities

Section T1A

Amateur Radio Service: purpose and permissible use of the Amateur Radio Service, operator/primary station license grant; Meanings of basic terms used in FCC rules; Interference; RACES rules; Phonetics; Frequency Coordinator

T1A01

Which of the following is a purpose of the Amateur Radio Service as stated in the FCC rules and regulations?

A.

Providing personal radio communications for as many citizens as possible

B.

Providing communications for international non-profit organizations

C.

Advancingskills in the technical and communication phases of the radio art

D.

All of these choices are correct

T1A01

The purpose of providing personal communications and those for international non-profits are not in Part 97, but advancing skills are.

If it were for as many citizens as possible, why bother with a test? Family Radio Service is available without a test - it doesn't even require a license; but amateur radio does.

If it were just for US Citizens, then a non-US Citizen couldn't get a license, but they can - they just need a US mailing address.

So, you can eliminate those two choices, which leaves you with the final one. If you don't get a licence and transmit you could be hit with a heavy fine.

What are the FCC rules regarding the use of a phonetic alphabet for station identification in the Amateur Radio Service?

A.

It is required when transmitting emergency messages

B.

It is prohibited

C.

It is required when in contact with foreign stations

D.

It is encouraged

T1A03

Using a phonetic alphabet (also called a "spelling alphabet") such as the NATO Phonetic Alphabet is encouraged by the FCC rules but not absolutely required. This method is designed to keep people from mistaking similar sounding letters like B and D especially in poor quality audio or when hearing unfamiliar spoken accents.

Because it's not absolutely required, you will encounter some people using phonetic alphabet spelling in some situations and not using it in others.

It is a good idea to use this method especially when you are unsure of how clearly your audio is being received.

How many operator/primary station license grants may be held by any one person?

A.

One

B.

No more than two

C.

One for each band on which the person plans to operate

D.

One for each permanent station location from which the person plans to operate

T1A04

This just another matter of remembering the regulations. Just remember that primary usually means one and in this case it certainly does.

CFR §97.5(b)(1) An operator/primary station license grant. One, but only one, operator/primary station license grant may be held by any one person. The primary station license is granted together with the amateur operator license. Except for a representative of a foreign government, any person who qualifies by examination is eligible to apply for an operator/primary station license grant.

What is proof of possession of an FCC-issued operator/primary license grant?

A.

A printed operator/primary station license issued by the FCC must be displayed at the transmitter site

B.

The control operator must have an operator/primary station license in his or her possession when in control of a transmitter

C.

The control operator's operator/primary station license must appear in the FCC ULSconsolidatedlicenseedatabase

D.

All of these choices are correct

T1A05

The ultimate proof of licensing is the FCC ULS consolidated licensee database available to and searchable by the public at http://wireless.fcc.gov/uls/

While there is an official paper license document, this is not the final word on whether you have a license or not because only the database shows if a license is active, cancelled, or revoked.

Tip: If you're planning to take the amateur license exam, it is recommended that you Register to receive a FRN (FCC Registration Number) before you go to the exam. The FCC will assign you an FRN anyway when you submit an application, but by obtaining one beforehand you can avoid using your Social Security Number on the license application.

Remember your FRN and password because this is what you will need to login to the FCC database to check the status of your applications or file new ones.

The FRN takes the place of your SSN in identifying you to the FCC, but it does not prove that you have any licenses.

An amateur stationtransmittingcommunications for the purposes of observingpropagation or relatedexperimentalactivities

D.

A continuous transmission of weather information authorized in the amateur bands by the National Weather Service

T1A06

Part 97 is the part of the FCC regulations covering the amateur radio service.

For amateur radio purposes, a Beacon is an amateur station transmitting communications for the purposes of observing propagation or related experimental activities.

Beacon stations are useful for determining the presence of phenomenon like Sporadic E and Tropospheric Radio Propagation without having to coordinate with a distant operator to transmit a signal for you. They usually transmit constantly using CW on frequencies set aside for beacons.

An amateur station using amateur radio satellites for relay of signals

T1A07

The key to remember with this question is that we are talking about Amateur Radio definitions; though the other answers could also be correct definitions for the term "Space Station", Part 97 defines a space station as "An amateur station located more than 50 km above the Earth's surface." Similarly, an amateur earth station is any station less than 50 km above the earth's surface. 50 km is the dividing line between the two.

Which of the following entities recommends transmit/receive channels and other parameters for auxiliary and repeater stations?

A.

Frequency Spectrum Manager appointed by the FCC

B.

Volunteer Frequency Coordinatorrecognized by localamateurs

C.

FCC Regional Field Office

D.

International Telecommunications Union

T1A08

Frequency Coordinators are regular amateur radio operators who are selected by
repeater operators to coordinate the use of the radio frequencies for a given
geographical area. This is important to keep repeaters from interfering with
each other and to ensure that enough frequencies remain usable for simplex
operation.

Some people may think that any frequencies can be used for simplex operation,
but if you are uninformed as to the band plan selected by the Frequency
Coordinator in your area, you may find yourself operating on or close to the
input frequency of a repeater, thus causing harmful interference to others in
the area. Click here for more
information.

The local chapter of the Office of National Council of Independent Frequency Coordinators

C.

Amateuroperators in a local or regional area whose stations are eligible to be repeater or auxiliarystations

D.

FCC Regional Field Office

T1A09

Frequency Coordinators are regular amateur radio operators who are selected by
repeater operators to coordinate the use of the radio frequencies for a given
geographical area. This is important to keep repeaters from interfering with
each other and to ensure that enough frequencies remain usable for simplex
operation.

Some people may think that any frequencies can be used for simplex operation,
but if you are uninformed as to the band plan selected by the Frequency
Coordinator in your area, you may find yourself operating on or close to the
input frequency of a repeater, thus causing harmful interference to others in
the area. Click here for more
information.

Which of the following describes the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES)?

A.

A radio service using amateur frequencies for emergency management or civil defense communications

B.

A radio service using amateur stations for emergency management or civil defense communications

C.

An emergency service using amateur operators certified by a civil defense organization as being enrolled in that organization

D.

All of these choices are correct

T1A10

The three key things here are that RACES uses amateur radio frequencies, stations, and operators. They don't have their own frequencies (like MARS does), and all the stations and operators are amateurs (unlike MARS, which does have separately licensed stations and operators). So all of these answers are correct.